


Falling Like Icarus (I Have Burned For My Love)

by TaikoTurtle



Series: Feel The Heat [1]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: A little angst, F/F, Kimberly falls for Trini first, and a little jealousy thrown in for some good measure, and then she doesn't know what to do with herself, trimberly - Freeform, with a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-02 15:09:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10947066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaikoTurtle/pseuds/TaikoTurtle
Summary: She’s totally fucked.She’s in too deep in an ocean of Trini and she’s drowning faster by the day. The more she tries to bury her emotions below the surface in hopes of it dying away, the stronger her feelings of affection seem to grow. It doesn’t help that every little thing Trini does, from the underwhelmingly mundane to the sweetest thoughtful gestures, serves to multiply those sentiments tenfold.(Kimberly falls for Trini first and she doesn't know what to do with herself)





	1. Flown Too Close To The Sun

**Author's Note:**

> This is based off of Trinisexual's tumblr prompt, with the title inspired by R3hab's song Icarus. 
> 
> Initially I was going to make this a one shot but it was climbing above 10k words and I didn't want to bombard ya'll with too much in one go. 
> 
> So here's part 1. I hope you enjoy!

The wind whips through Kimberly’s hair while her feet pound against the pavement in an even rhythm, one after another like a perfect metronome, as she makes her way past sleeping houses and familiar landmarks.

There’s the park on third street, with its semi-rusted roundabout, metal slide of doom, and dated woodchips ready to scar any child for life. The city claims that they’ll be switching it out for safer, spongier material but they have yet to follow up on that promise and Trini never lets her hear the end of it. 

Then the elementary school blurs by on her left. An oversized logo of a cartoon dolphin with a crown emblazons the front, but the paint is chipping in spots and the once vibrant colors, now faded and soft, betrays the true age of the establishment. It could definitely benefit from more funding, but the teachers genuinely care about the kids and it’s situated in a nice neighborhood so they make do with what they have. 

Kimberly clutches the small white and polka dot box closer to her chest as her destination rears into view. Trini’s illuminated window casts a soft glow in contrast to the night like a beacon out at sea, indicating that the girl must still be up and about doing god knows what at this hour.

Excitement hums through her limbs, driving her to pick up her already brisk pace and despite a good fifteen minute sprint from the donut shop to here, she’s only a little winded as she scales up the side of Trini’s house with the adept finesse of a cat. She struggles briefly between balancing the box and holding herself steady as she lifts up the sturdy window, but after a few more seconds of careful maneuvering she hauls herself inside.

“Hey Trini, guess who opened back up today!”

Kimberly looks around, her eyes blinking against the harsh light and searching for her friend, but her brow furrows in confusion when she’s met with an empty room. 

“Trini…?”

The question trails off, her mind silently kicking itself for deciding to show up out of the blue so late at night, but then Trini pops up off the floor from the other side of the bed in nothing but a yellow sports bra and black shorts, leaving very little to the imagination. Kimberly’s eyes widen and her throat goes dry as a desert because it so often slips her mind just how physically fit the smaller girl is, but  _ goddamn _ her body looks like a work of art. 

Trini wipes off a thin layer of sweat from her brow with her arm, her toned muscles subtly flexing with each movement rendering Kimberly positively hypnotized. In the distant recesses of her mind, a voice tells her to look away, to look  _ anywhere  _ else, but it’s a hushed, indistinct plea at best and she knows it’s utterly futile.

It’s not weird to stare at her friend. Trini has an amazing body so she’s just…  _ appreciating _ her figure. Very closely. 

At least that’s what Kimberly tells herself.

“I couldn’t sleep so I figured I’d exercise instead.” Trini reaches for a towel and dries herself off before she spots the box of donuts and her face instantly lights up with recognition. “Dude, no way!”

Tossing the towel over her shoulder, she strides towards Kimberly and comes to a stop barely a couple feet in front of her. She peers into the box and then up at Kimberly and the corner of her lips tug up into a grin.

“You came all this way just to drop these off? For me?”

Kimberly chokes down a gulp of air and ignores how her heart starts doing backflips but with a shirtless, glistening Trini standing so close with her perfectly defined abs and a flawless collarbone - something Kimberly decides on the spot is her new weakness - she momentarily blanks on a witty response.

That tends to happen more and more frequently these days, but she tries not to dwell on that fact.

“Uh… yes?” 

Trini laughs heartily as she plucks a donut hole out of the assortment and pops it in her mouth with gusto. “Well I appreciate the snack, thanks.”

“Yeah, I passed by it earlier today.” Kimberly rubs her neck lightly as she recovers her mental faculties and casts her gaze downward. “You had a rough time in training this week so I uh, figured you could use a little treat.”

Trini’s grin grows wider and she narrows her eyes playfully at the taller girl. “At three in the morning?” 

“H-hey, you’re one to talk! Who even does push-ups at this hour?” Kimberly gives her a friendly shove in the shoulder as she walks past her to set the box down on a nearby table. 

Her face feels inexplicably hotter than the sun and she can’t seem to shake this lightweight fluttering feeling that flares up in Trini’s presence, but she hopes Trini doesn’t notice because she has no idea how  _ she  _ can possibly explain it. If she’s being honest with herself, she’d say that this shift occurred sometime around Rita’s downfall, but Kimberly hates the truth so she chooses to ignore it for as long as she can.

“I got in a fight with my mom today.” Kimberly’s head whips around at the sudden, quiet admission and she sees Trini’s slumped shoulders with her posture matching her deflated tone. “That’s why I was… I just… had to get my mind off things, you know?”

There’s some things that the Rangers don’t discuss, things that are taboo amongst them, and family definitely falls under that category for Trini. 

She sees how much Jason’s dad loves him. Behind the guise of tough love, there’s a layer of understanding and pride and she can see that he truly loves him. She witnesses Billy’s mom shower him with tender care and how she legitimately listens to what he has to say. Even Zack’s mom, though bedridden and spending most of her days asleep, thinks the world of her son.

But with her family?

Trini sees the doubt in their eyes. She sees the  _ disappointment _ . The ghosts of the potentially lackluster and regretful life she may lead. How their thinly-veiled concern masks their true fear of how the rest of the neighborhood would view them, or even worse, how the rest of their family would view them. 

She’s expressed this to Kimberly before in snippets, but Kimberly never pushes her to explain beyond her comfort level so it rarely ends up breaching beyond the surface. 

They stew in silence with neither saying a thing to shatter the moment, but when Trini doesn’t elaborate on the day’s events, Kimberly walks up to her from behind and pulls her into a gentle hug. Her arms wrap around her shaking shoulders and Trini has never felt this  _ small _ before, but when the drops of warm tears hit Kimberly’s forearms, she just squeezes tighter.

They stay like that for who knows how long. A minute, five minutes, two hours for all she can tell, but time works in mysterious ways and all Kimberly cares about is being there for Trini. 

She feels the way the other girl’s body shudders with each wracking sob and it’s like a knife being driven deeper into her heart because she wishes she can just strip away Trini’s anguish with a simple snap of her fingers but she can’t and it  _ kills  _ her.

There’s no simple fix for pain, no magic solution or catch-all remedy, but Kimberly knows how to distract and divert like there’s no tomorrow and sometimes that’s all one really needs in the moment. Though it’s like trying to slap a band-aid on a bullet wound, it’s all she’s got.

“Let’s have a girl’s day tomorrow, just the two of us.” Kimberly whispers into Trini’s ear and she feels the other girl’s quivering begin to subside. “We’ll spend the entire day together. How’s that sound?”

Trini sniffles softly and rubs vigorously at her eyes as if the act could rid both her unwelcome tears and her heavy internal conflict in one fell swoop, but the only thing that clears is her vision and all she can manage to do is exhale a shaky sigh and nod.

 

* * *

 

It turns out to be a downright beautiful Saturday. 

Picturesque clouds that look like they were ripped straight from an idyllic postcard and slapped up above, sprinkle across the expanse of the clear blue sky. It’s not a terribly hot day either, which they probably have the lazy clouds to thank, so that’s why they had spent almost the entire morning out in the quarry. 

Kimberly’s first bullet point on her ‘Let’s cheer up Trini’ list started with visiting spots that Trini enjoyed frequenting when she needed to clear her head. 

They traversed up and down the sloping rocky hills with ease, turning it into somewhat of a game to see who could outdo the other by racing to the top at a blistering speed. Kimberly’s limbs ached from the strenuous exertion and though she normally hated losing, she didn’t seem to mind it as much today. 

Reaching the top and being greeted by Trini’s broad, rapturous smile felt like a prize in itself.

So they kept climbing. 

The two scaled the tallest outcrops the quarry had to offer - dangerous, rocky, and precarious as they were - until they finally collapsed into an exhausted heap at the apex of one of Trini’s favorite meditation zones. 

Neither could stop laughing. Their chests heaved up and down as they sucked in large gulps of air in between fits, but with burning muscles and lungs on fire, they eventually lost steam and calmed down to enjoy the view. 

They rested side by side on their backs and watched the clouds drift by like ivory ships navigating the calm waves of the wide open ocean.

“That one looks like Ms. Appleby,” said Kimberly as she pointed to a particularly lumpy formation. 

Trini shook her head and chuckled. “That’s so messed up.”

“But it does, doesn’t it?”

“...Maybe a little bit,” Trini conceded before pointing up at another clump. “That one looks like your pterodactyl zord. Like it’s mid-flight and ready to dive bomb a putty or something.”

Kimberly squinted hard, but failed to see the resemblance. “I’m not following.”

“Dude, it’s right there. That one. It’s all diagonal and stuff.” Trini’s arm continued to jab at the sky as if it made finding the cloud easier, so Kimberly scooted her body closer until they were touching and leaned her head in right up next to Trini’s. 

With a better vantage point, Kimberly’s face lit up and she clapped happily. “Okay, I can totally see it now! It looks…”

Her words trailed off because it suddenly hit her how close they were lying and when she foolishly made the mistake of turning her head to face Trini, she knew she wasn’t referring to the clouds any longer.

“... beautiful.”

Kimberly’s never been one to believe in cheesy romance movies or all of the cliches that occur in them, but gazing into Trini’s eyes was like beholding the breathtaking complexity of the universe. From the richest darks of deep space to the twinkling of stars and brilliant supernovas, Trini’s eyes showcase a spectrum of intricate shades and swirling hues that she didn’t even know were possible in brown eyes.

It's both mesmerizing and intensely profound and Kimberly felt like the answers to life, the universe, and everything were contained within.

Whoever said blue and green eyes were the prettiest clearly never met Trini.

It was then that Kimberly realized only a couple inches of air served as the barrier between their friendship and something implicitly unspeakable, and her pulse shot through the roof. She saw Trini’s eyes flicker to her lips before reconnecting their gaze and panic alarms blasted through Kimberly’s brain like a siren signaling a four alarm fire. 

But neither one moved.

They didn’t retreat. They didn’t push forward.

It was like being frozen in time, waiting for the other to make a move but both refusing to do so, whether out of fear or something else entirely. 

But Trini’s eyes spoke volumes. 

Kimberly swore they were shouting out a challenge, like they were uttering  _ what are you so afraid of?  _  but Kimberly hardly knew herself and couldn’t trust the clarity of her own mind against the beast within her heart.

So she turned her head away and cleared her throat. “Let’s go to the mall.”

Trini didn’t respond immediately and Kimberly could feel her gaze searing into her skin, but after a moment’s hesitation the smaller girl sighed.

“Lead the way, Princess.”

Which brings them to the present as they stroll through the Angel Grove Mall in an odd sort of silence. 

It’s neither awkward nor comfortable, but instead pensive and thick with a looming fog of jumbled emotions and unanswered questions. Hardly a word transpired between the two on the trek to the mall, but as they pass by the brightly-lit windows and decked out mannequins, Kimberly feels more and more hardpressed to say something to ease the tension.

What could she possibly say though?

Sorry we almost kissed?

Yeah, sure,  _ that’ll _ go over well.

Hell, she doesn't even know if Trini even read the situation the same as she did, but judging from how close they were and the vibe between them, she doesn't know how it could be read any other way.

Kimberly’s aware of Trini’s sexuality and the situations she’s had to wrestle with because of it, and there’s no way in hell that she’s going to add on to that tangled web of stress. Trini’s progressed a long way in coming to terms with herself, and if Kimberly comes bulldozing in like a runaway train she could potentially smash it all to pieces. 

But then it begs the question: does she like girls?

Kimberly frowns as she wracks her brain for answers that may or may not even exist. There’s a lot of things she’s never asked herself seriously before, but now isn’t really the best time to try and parse it all out. She may not know if she likes girls, but she knows she likes Trini and that’s all that matters.

Wait.

She likes Trini.

Kimberly’s eyes widen slowly.

_ She likes Trini. _

As in likes Trini? Or _like likes_ Trini? She's reminded of that stupid shit kids used to say when she was younger and on the playground. But she reflects on it now, and it's never been more apropos. She sees the distinction.

She like likes Trini.

It’s something she’s never said out loud, or even internally for that matter, but in a way it almost feels like an invisible weight just lifts off her shoulders. They’ve been through hell and back together, and all her fondest memories in the past year have included Trini in some shape or form. 

She’s ride or die for this girl, and the solid affirmation of this fact seems to make her more hyper aware of just how much she cares for the tiny Ranger at her side. Like an avalanche gaining steam, the more she reflects on the entirety of her emotions, the further she gets buried under irrefutable evidence that she’s into Trini.

But the sudden enlightenment seems to only add complications. Does she want to say something?  _ Should  _ she say something?

Kimberly glances at Trini who ends up catching on to her sharp movement and holds her gaze with mild curiosity. 

“Yes?”

“Uh…” Kimberly curses her short burst of confidence because as powerful as it may be, it’s equally as fragile and one look into Trini’s stunning eyes forces her to rethink her plan of attack.

Salvation comes in the form of a table stacked high with an assortment of affordably-priced beanies in a prismatic color offering and Kimberly decides to embrace her newfound epiphany by escaping into the nearby shop with a singular goal in mind.

“Be back in a sec,” she calls out to a confused Trini who stops just outside the glass doors and looks around to survey the storefront. 

Kimberly approaches the table with the mountain of beanies and she runs her hand along the soft, thick material. They’re not itchy like typical cheaply-produced beanies and she knows the biggest obstacle now is picking out the perfect color. She’s drawn to a bright goldenrod beanie which she’s certain Trini will like because after having been assigned their Ranger armor from the coins they all naturally started gravitating towards their respective colors.

She picks up the item and heads towards the checkout station, but after a brief deliberation, she comes up with a better idea.

Trini’s checking her phone with disinterest when Kimberly finally emerges from the store toting a small brown bag and a smile on her face. 

“I gotcha something.” 

Kimberly dangles the bag in front of Trini, who promptly lunges forward to snatch it out of her grasp, but Kimberly swings it above her head and just out of reach. She smirks at the disgruntled look on Trini’s face as she keeps her arm held up high.

“What’s the magic word?”

“Gimme.”

“Wrong.”

“Gimme,  _ please _ .” Trini’s voice drips with sarcasm as the words roll off her tongue and Kimberly almost turns it into a game of keep away just to prolong her torture, but she remembers that it’s “let’s cheer up Trini” day so she reluctantly releases the bag.

Kimberly watches with bated breath as the smaller girl reaches into the bag and pulls out a bubblegum pink beanie. Her eyebrow quirks up and Kimberly can’t tell if that’s a good or bad sign, so she stumbles out a hasty explanation.

“Okay just hear me out. I get that it’s not your color and I totally understand if you don’t want to wear it out in public but like, I don’t know, I uhh - I figured that… if you were ever feeling down and I wasn’t there, you can look at it and be reminded of me.”

The beanie crinkles beneath Trini’s vice-like grip and her eyes gleam with happiness. “God, you’re such a sap.”

“I’m really just doing it for myself,” Kimberly jokes with a broad smile on her face, “because I’m so amazing and I want you to always be thinking of me all the--  _ oof!” _

Trini cuts her off mid sentence with a bone crushing hug that nearly knocks the wind out of her from how tight she squeezes. Kimberly can barely breathe and she can’t tell whether it’s from the hug or the Trini fog rolling in and enveloping her senses, but none of that matters because her body moves on autopilot and she’s able to loosely wrap her arms around her shoulders.

Some of the kids at school poke fun at their height difference, how Trini appears to be so travel size in comparison to the school’s fallen queen bee, but to Kimberly she’s entirely perfect. 

Their bodies fit like a two-piece puzzle, complementing each other beautifully in all the right places with each groove, curve, and gap filling in where the other lacks. It’s like she was always meant to hold Trini in her arms, except only now she’s starting to fully appreciate just how  _ complete  _ she feels when they’re together as one.

After a deep drawn out exhale, Trini pulls back and yanks off her current beanie. Kimberly wonders how her hair continues to look absolutely flawless despite being under her favorite headwear all day, and in mere seconds the yellow is replaced with pink. 

“I can dig it,” Trini comments as she stuffs her old yellow one back in the bag.

Kimberly snorts unceremoniously. “You look like a flamingo.”

“Coming from the Pink Ranger herself? You’re just jealous I look good in any color.”

Kimberly’s eyes soften and she smiles affectionately. “Yeah, you really do.”

Trini’s eyes flit up at that remark, her expression an incongruent mixture of hopeful trepidation like she knows exactly what they’re both thinking and she just wants Kimberly to spit it out already. 

And Kimberly wants to be brave,  _ she really, really does, _ but fear has its claws embedded in her heart and she doesn’t want to take the plunge if it means selfishly dragging Trini down into the unknown.

She’s not ready for that, not just yet.

“C’mon, I’m craving a pretzel.” 

Kimberly links her arm in Trini’s as she leads them towards the food court. Out of the corner of her eyes, Kimberly can see her crestfallen reaction but when she turns her head to flash Trini an almost apologetic smile, Trini mirrors her back with a forced grin as if to say _ don’t worry about me _ .

Kimberly has her own set of demons to face, but once she gets her life in order, when she knows without a shadow of a doubt that she can give Trini everything that she deserves, then maybe someday she’ll stop being such a coward.

She sighs quietly to herself once more.

Maybe someday.

 

* * *

 

 

A month goes by and though they have yet to face another baddie on the same level of Rita Repulsa, everyone diligently maintained their workouts on a religious basis so Jason decides that the team deserves some quality R&R.

He sends out a group text to meet at the beach and when they show up around noon, they’re met with the sight of a red E-Z Up Canopy, assorted sports equipment, and a fold out table piled high with easy-to-eat finger foods and drinks. A large inflated beach ball rests securely underneath his arm as he waves them over. 

He’s wearing some black swim trunks with crimson accents and a pair of Hawaiian flip flops and somehow looks almost like he’s already sunburnt.

“Today’s all about you guys, so go ahead and enjoy the food and some sun but ah, don’t get too crazy.” Jason points a finger at their resident troublemaker and smiles. “I’m looking at you Zack.”  

“Who, me?” He presses his hands to his chest dramatically in mock indignation. “I couldn’t harm a fly!”

Trini elbows him sharply in the side. “You’re the reason we’re all banned from Tony’s Pizza Parlor.”

“Ah yes,” he laments as if reciting from a distant memory, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much tomato sauce in my life.”

“You’re such a dumbass.”

Zack frowns at Trini. “No,  _ you’re _ a dumbass.”

They start swatting at each other furiously and Kimberly throws her hands up at their childish antics. “You’re both dumbasses. Let’s go do something already!”

Trini pulls Zack into her signature headlock and they start wrestling on the spot; sand flings wildly in every direction with no end in sight, so Jason and Billy decide to leave them be.

Kimberly lingers behind because while she can hear Jason’s voice beckoning her to join them in setting up the portable volleyball net, her attention diminished into total tunnel vision at the sight in front of her. 

Trini.

In a bright sunflower yellow bikini with onyx trim.

Tangled in a heap with a shirtless Zack.

Now, Kimberly knows that Zack is a good looking guy - he’s tall, well-built, dresses nicely, and has such smooth skin that he’s the envy of most teens. He puts in a considerable amount of effort into eating healthy and keeping up with his workouts in addition to their daily Ranger exercises, so the results dutifully reflect his dedication. 

There’s no denying that he’s attractive, but he’s got  _ nothing  _ on Trini. 

And yeah, Kimberly might be a  _ little  _ bit biased, but nobody needs to know that. 

She watches the way Trini’s muscles strain and twist as she uses Zack’s size against him, how they go taut with the strenuous exertion required to go toe-to-toe with her larger combatant; a blush flares across Kimberly’s face and she knows the sun is not to blame. 

In a way she almost feels guilty watching them wrestle, as if it’s borderline voyeuristic because it makes downright inappropriate images run rampant in her mind of all the things she wants to do with Trini if given the chance. 

Like how she’d pin her down against the sand and leave a burning trail of kisses from her neck to her sculpted collar bone - god how she  _ loved _ her collar bone - all the way down her chest before reaching her toned stomach. 

She’d take her sweet time exploring every inch of Trini’s velvety skin because her body is a pure masterpiece that simply demands meticulous admiration. She’s familiar with Trini’s restless impatience and knows the build up offers just as much pleasure as the final destination. 

So she’d proceed slowly in the most agonizing manner. When she’s got Trini grunting with frustration and bucking her hips for the contact that she truly desires, then Kimberly would migrate her kisses further south until she’s settled between her thighs.  

She’d hover in that area just to make Trini squirm so she could feel her muscles writhe beneath her touch until she has her begging for more in between raspy, desperate moans and only  _ then  _ would Kimberly happily oblige. 

There’s an unbearable heat burgeoning between Kimberly’s legs and it takes Billy’s hand tapping on her shoulder to snap her out of her daydream. 

“Hey, we could really use your help with the net. Jason keeps lining the ropes up wrong.” 

Billy gestures behind him and Kimberly sees their fearless leader tangled in a lengthy highlighter yellow rope like a fish caught in a net. She nearly laughs at the comedic sight, but her mouth feels like sandpaper and her entire body’s practically on fire so she just nods dumbly and follows after him. 

“I specifically stated that they should be at an equal fourty-five degrees for optimal stabilization, but I don’t believe his spatial awareness is suitable enough to achieve it.” 

Kimberly registers that he’s still talking to her as they set up the volleyball poles but the words ebb into a dull drone in the back of her hazy mind. 

She’s totally fucked. 

She’s in too deep in an ocean of Trini and she’s drowning faster by the day. The more she tries to bury her emotions below the surface in hopes of it dying away, the stronger her feelings of affection seem to grow. It doesn’t help that every little thing Trini does, from the underwhelmingly mundane to the sweetest thoughtful gestures, serves to multiply those sentiments tenfold.

“... on the same team due to their clear height advantage. Wouldn’t you agree?” 

Billy tilts his head quizzically at her, awaiting a response of some kind, but Kimberly blinks absentmindedly with a slightly sheepish smile on her face. 

“I’m sorry… what were you saying?”

He points at Jason and then to Zack. “They shouldn’t be allowed to play on the same team because they’re both tall.”

“But you’re taller than both of them,” Kimberly points out as she surveys the net to make sure it won’t collapse on them mid-game.

Billy waves his hands and shakes his head vigorously. “Oh no, no - see, I don’t do volleyball. Volleyball and I are not friends.” 

“C’mon Billy, you’ve got to play!” Zack calls out as he and Trini approach the makeshift court, apparently finished with their little bout of grappling.

“Yeah, what if it was us three against Jason and Zack?” Trini offers in an attempt to include everyone in a single game. “We need some height on our team and you’re the perfect candidate.”

“I’m not so sure about this...”

“Well  _ I _ am,” Kimberly adds enthusiastically, “and I think the three of us are the dream team.”

“If you say so. B-but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

They start up a friendly game of volleyball and take turns launching the old and slightly deflated ball back and forth above the net for fun. There’s no stress, no anger, no yelling - it’s all in good fun, or at least, it was before Zack decides to wager a dinner anywhere of the winner’s choice.

“You’re going down!” Trini taunts them as she pounds her fist menacingly.

“Alright little lady,” Zack retorts with a confident scoff. “It’s on like Donkey Kong.”

Kimberly and Trini burst into laughter and Jason shakes his head. “I request a new partner.” 

“Too late - serves up!” 

Winding up with all her might, Trini fires off the first shot and the game begins. What they lack in numbers, Jason and Zack make up in sheer athleticism and physical prowess. They’re capable of covering their entire side in just a couple of strides and Kimberly can tell it’s going to be a hardfought battle for the grand prize. 

Kimberly stations herself at the net since she has the highest possibility of blocking the other team’s spikes while Trini holds down the fort in the back. BIlly stands at the ready somewhere in the middle, but between his so-so reaction time and fear of the ball, he spends a majority of the match trying to dodge and evade as the girls return the volleys. He sets up a couple of good spikes though, to which everyone cheers and he claps his hands excitedly.

Neither side backs down. The game reaches the fifteen minute mark with the score a close 18-16, advantage going to Jason and Zack. 

Sand clings to Kimberly’s limbs thanks to how many times she’s dived for the ball, her chest heaving in and out as she tries to catch her breath, and an inkling of worry trickles into her body. 

She hates losing. Everyone knows that. Only Trini hates losing almost as much as she does, which makes them perfect rivals in almost every new endeavor, so she sees the scowl on Trini’s face and knows she’s feeling the same way.

Zack serves a fast bullet straight towards the back and Trini barely manages to dig it back into the air. Billy sets it up for Kimberly and she spikes it harshly to the other side thinking that for sure they can’t reach it, but Jason’s sharp reflexes help him keep the ball in play. He passes it to Zack who, instead of setting it up for an expected spike, ends up lobbing it high into the air and over the net. 

Kimberly darts backwards at an awkward diagonal, her eyes trained on the ball’s trajectory like a hawk, but she’s far too focused and moving way too fast to prevent the train wreck of a collision from happening.

“I got it!” 

But her voice sounds off at the same time as Trini’s and she scarcely has time to register the “oh shit--!” erupt from behind her before she’s crashing hard into the smaller girl.

Stars burst in her eyes and for a split second her vision blacks out into pure darkness, but then she regains her senses along with a gnarly pain shooting sharply through her head as the two of them slam down roughly into the sand. The volleyball plops sadly onto the ground next to them as a chorus of groans emits from their mouths. 

Kimberly’s head throbs violently and she can only imagine what Trini must be feeling, but after she blinks through the fuzzy confusion of her muddled thoughts the first thing she notices is how squishy the ground feels. Then she realizes it’s not the ground.

It’s Trini.

She’s literally crushing the poor girl underneath the entirety of her weight and as Kimberly’s vision shakes back into focus, she finds herself staring right into Trini’s wide, surprised eyes. One by one, the details click in her brain like little light bulbs flickering to life.

Like how she’s somehow straddling Trini between her legs.

Or like how their chests press firmly against each other with every shallow, erratic breath.

When Kimberly imagines them together in her most faraway daydreams, this position often crosses her mind and though it’s certainly not the scenario that she envisioned, she can’t help but laugh; the opportunity is just too good to pass up.

She leans in close until her breath tickles Trini’s ear and she feels the shiver run through the smaller girl’s body.

“I always liked being on top.”

Trini breaks - literally  _ malfunctions _ \- and Kimberly relishes in the effect that she has on this girl. Trini sputters out a choked cough and her face looks positively sunburnt from the deep shade of crimson that blankets her features - she can’t even utter a single noise because she seems to have forgotten all language that used to be at her disposal. 

Kimberly pushes herself off the ground into a kneeling position so as not to get too light headed and waves dismissively at the boys with a grin on her face.

“We’re okay, we’re okay. I think Trini just needs a couple more seconds - I do have a hard head after all.”

She glances over at Trini and is startled when she sees a curious, indecipherable expression in her eyes and Kimberly’s smile falters because while she’s seen every facet of Trini - happy, melancholic, lonely, the list goes on - she’s never come across this one before. 

Kimberly’s face contorts from her contemplation and then it hits her.

No... that’s a lie. 

She  _ has _ seen it before.

Back at the mall. That dichotomic expression filled with optimistic hope and despondent affliction. It’s one charged with a powder keg of emotions and Kimberly is a selfish fool to once more be the cause of it. 

But Trini’s trained in hiding her feelings; she’s a goddamn expert thanks to her family. So as quickly as it materialized, with equal haste did it vanish and Kimberly’s left wondering if maybe she imagined everything.

The day carries on normally from there. Kimberly’s volleyball team ends up coming from behind and beats Jason and Zack, much to the latter’s dismay, and they bask on the beach until the sun sets. Kimberly tries not to dwell on the the minute shift in Trini’s demeanor throughout the evening, but it looms in the back of her mind like a demon lurking in the shadows. 

Her only reprieve from it all is that when they’re circled around a massive fire blazing in the cement pit roasting marshmallows for s’mores, Kimberly notices Trini shivering from the cold and goes to wrap them both in her beach towel. 

Trini stiffens from the close proximity and Kimberly waits for her to pull back, but when the movement never happens and they remain huddled close together, her heart swells with a tender fondness that warms her body better than any bonfire ever could. 


	2. Persevere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who wrote reviews! It's definitely what got me through writing this chapter. Thank you for waiting, and I hope you all enjoy :)

Summer ends almost faster than it had begun and the gang of misfits finds themselves trudging back up the steps to school with Zack groaning the entire way.

“Why did I even let you guys talk me into going to class today.”

Billy fiddles with his new watch before looking over at his discontent friend. “Well graduating high school is very beneficial and attendance counts for a good chunk of your grade, so I don’t recommend missing every class like you normally do.”

“Attendance is overrated,” Zack gripes as he shuffles his feet slowly in a feeble attempt to delay the inevitable.

“Well, whatever you do, don’t go getting yourself thrown back in detention,” Jason says as he adjusts the straps on his backpack. “Zordon called a meeting tonight after school and it sounds pretty important so make sure you’re there at eight o’clock sharp. No excuses.”

“Aye aye, captain.” Trini gives him a mocking two finger salute and Kimberly chuckles at her antics, to which Jason just rolls his eyes as he walks away.

They split off to their respective classrooms and thankfully Kimberly shares the same first class with Trini, which she’s hoping will make calculus more tolerable because she seriously couldn’t care less about formulas she’ll probably never need in her life. As they go pick some seats in the back of the room they both spot an unfamiliar face hanging out at the front near the teacher.

Her wavy, dark brown hair is pulled back into a low ponytail that cascades down just below her shoulder blades and multiple asymmetrical piercings run up the length of her ears. A black leather necklace with a golden feather at the end adorns her neck and nicely complements the feather tattoo that spans the length of her left forearm. With her forest green plaid button up wrapped around her waist and a worn white tank top that pops against her tan skin, the girl almost resembles a taller, hardened version of Trini.

The major difference between the two girls though is the aura of sheer confidence radiating off the girl judging by the cocky smirk painted across her face and the crackling spark in her enticing hazel eyes that seems to dance between hues of greens and browns.

Kimberly feels herself being inexplicably drawn in by the girl’s presence and she turns to Trini to make a comment, but she notices how equally enthralled she is as well and suddenly the mysterious fascination sours into loathly nausea. Trini beats her to the punch as she nods towards the stranger.

“Get a load of the new chick.”

“She’s probably from out of town,” replies Kimberly as she sizes the girl up. “She looks like she’d be a jerk though.”

Trini sets her backpack down by her chair and casts a peculiar glance her way. “What makes you think that?”

“I-- I just have a weird feeling.”

“I dunno,” Trini shrugs as she pulls her binder out of her bag, “I think she’s kinda hot.”

Kimberly yanks her binder out of her backpack and slams it down on the desk with a little more force than intended. The noise startles several of their classmates, to which she responds by shooting them a pointed glare before leaning back in her chair with crossed arms. Trini studies her silently, but whatever words she had prepared stay hidden away as the teacher claps his hands together and clears his throat.

“Alright class, I know I had many of you last year in my statistics class, but we have a new classmate who moved here all the way from the east coast, so if you could all give her a warm welcome, that would be much appreciated. Please introduce yourself.”

He motions for her to take the floor and though the girl looks like she’s scanning the room, her eyes seem to bore directly into Kimberly and Trini as she addresses the class.

“Tommy Oliver.”

The teacher looks like he’s expecting her to expand upon the brief introduction, but he realizes she has no intention to continue so he gestures to the back of the room at the empty desk next to Trini. “You can take the one in the far back.”

Tommy makes her way towards the back and tosses her olive drab messenger bag onto the ground before settling down in the rickety old desk. She looks expectantly at Trini who doesn’t even hesitate when she leans over and offers her hand.

“‘Sup, I’m Trini.”

Tommy gives her a firm handshake in return and flashes her an absolutely charming, half-cocked smirk that makes Kimberly’s blood boil as she watches the whole scene unfold. With a deep scowl etched on her face, Kimberly glowers at the clock on the wall in the hope that time would speed up so they can get away from this new nuisance.

 

* * *

 

 

 _You’ve got to be fucking kidding me_ is what runs through Kimberly’s mind as she sees why Zordon called for a meeting. After a lengthy intro regarding the importance of teamwork and the perils that Earth faces on a constant basis, Kimberly hears the footsteps of familiar boots echo through the Command Center before she sees who they’re attached to and she clenches her jaw tightly in response.

“Rangers, meet the newest addition to your team: Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger.”

Tommy winks at Trini and nobody catches it save for Kimberly, whose scowl still hasn’t fully dissipated since that morning when the newest stranger invaded their lives.

“Fancy seeing you again, gorgeous.”

Tommy casually throws an arm around Trini’s shoulders as the other Rangers all crowd around to introduce themselves but Kimberly hangs back because hell, she already met this person this morning - she doesn’t _need_ to say hi again.

Kimberly can tell that she’s being unreasonable but she can’t help it when every little ordinary, harmless detail about Tommy adds more fuel to the irritating fire.

That stupidly attractive smile complete with a jawline carved from the gods.

Her fashion sense that’s so lazy and messy that it’s actually stylish.

And just the way that she breathes is so--

Kimberly screws her eyes shut. Great, now she’s ragging on a girl for just breathing. Kimberly scrutinizes the way Trini leans into Tommy’s one-armed embrace and her lungs seize up as her heart descends to the bottom of her stomach like it’s submerged in quicksand. The more she struggles, the faster it sinks, and watching the two girls interact makes her blood turn to lava.

She _hates_ feeling like this - like there’s an insatiable beast trying to claw its way out and overtake her entire being - but between the monster inside and the monster in front of her, she knows which one she’d rather face.

So Kimberly keeps it quietly caged up and prays to God that it doesn’t consume her.

 

* * *

 

 

Another couple weeks pass by and the next time Kimberly and Trini have a girl’s day together, Tommy tags along too. Kimberly hates that girl’s day doesn’t just mean her and Trini anymore. Kimberly hates how their team’s synergy has shifted because it was forced to adapt to another personality.

Kimberly finds herself hating a lot of things these days.

They start the day off in the afternoon at the mall because Kimberly didn’t want to start at the quarry. There may be some things that Tommy can take away from their friendship, but the quarry isn’t one of them.

That’s _their_ special place. That’s where it all began. That’s where Trini goes to meditate and sometimes brings Kimberly along too when things are particularly bad. That’s where Kimberly met the most important people in her life.

That’s where she met Trini.

So they don’t ever go to the meditation spots in the quarry as a trio. Instead, they’re at the mall and Kimberly’s trying really hard to be courteous - okay maybe not _that_ hard - but everything she suggests gets shot down rapid fire by Tommy.

“Want to check out Forever 21? I need a new leather jacket; I think my old one is starting to peel in some spots.”

“That place is overrated. Who wants to stay twenty-one forever?”

Ugh. It’s just the name of the fucking store, but _whatever_. Kimberly rolls her eyes so hard that they practically fall out of her skull.

“Let’s swing by Something Silver then. I wouldn’t mind grabbing some more earrings.”

“Eh, you guys can go ahead. I’m more of a gold person myself.”

Shot down _again_ , what is her damn problem? Kimberly figures that if you’re going to deny every suggestion, you might as well add your own two cents but Tommy is being absolutely no help whatsoever.

“How about we hit up the food court and get some Jamba Juice? I could really go for a smoothie right now.”

“That place is so expensive for what it is. I could literally make that myself at home.”

“Well maybe you _should_ go home and make one then,” Kimberly bites back in an admittedly harsher tone than intended.

Either Tommy doesn’t notice or she flat out ignores her, but for all their sakes she doesn’t say another word.

They leave the mall and find themselves at the Angel Grove Youth Center, which has a small retro arcade section, some dedicated open floor exercise mats, and ironically a juice bar. Kimberly glowers at Tommy as she purchases refreshments for all of them and begrudgingly accepts the strawberry banana smoothie that’s thrusted her way.

“Now these are some good drinks,” Tommy remarks with a satisfied sigh as she sips her mint chocolate shake.

Kimberly doesn’t say a thing because the moment she opens her mouth, she knows only vicious things will just slip out.

So the three of them find a vacant table towards the outer edge of the room and sit down in the cheap white chairs. There’s several people out on the main floor practicing their individual mixed martial arts on the beaten blue padded mats as well as a couple of pairs sparring for fun.

They observe them in silence while enjoying their drinks, but Kimberly can’t rid herself of the seething aggravation that she feels towards Tommy.

It’s like a thorn in her side, or a papercut right on the webbing between her fingers. By no means is it like a fatal wound or something cripplingly debilitating, but the resentment is there and no matter how hard she tries, Kimberly just can’t shake it.

The worst part is that Tommy isn’t necessarily a bad person, but everything she does just puts Kimberly on edge regardless of what it is.

Deep down inside, Kimberly knows the _real_ reason why Tommy bothers her. She recalls the way Trini’s eyes lit up when Tommy first shook her hand, how Trini grinned shyly when Tommy threw her arm around her at the Command Center, how smiles normally only reserved for Kimberly are no longer just that.

Kimberly bites down on her straw with such force that she breaks a small slit in the plastic and she scowls because she’s frustrated with _everything._ She’s not stupid though - she knows exactly what she’s feeling right now but she doesn’t want to acknowledge it.

Besides, there’s only room for one Green Ranger on the team.

“Hey Trini, want to fight?” Tommy’s nearly finished with her shake and she nods her head in the direction of the practice mats.

Trini takes a long gulp of her mango smoothie and looks to Kimberly, but Kimberly doesn’t know why she even did that. Was she looking for validation? For the okay to do it? To go spar around with her girlfr--

 _No_.

It’s none of Kimberly’s business regarding what may or may not be going on between her teammates.

She shouldn’t be so damn selfish. Maybe if she had acted earlier then perhaps things would be different, but she didn’t and now she has to deal with her own regret. What matters is that Trini should be happy and Kimberly would never want to stand in her way.

“Go kick her ass.” Kimberly says it in a joking tone but Trini seems to pick up on the truth behind the feigned humor. They know each other too well - even more than they know themselves - so Trini gives her a tight hug that says _we’ll talk later_ before following Tommy to the mats down below.

Kimberly has no right to feel like this.

Her stomach folds into itself and her chest twists and constricts and she’s so _sure_ that it’s literally imploding under the mounting pressure.

She sees Trini and Tommy circle around each other, fists up and eyes searching for an opening, both coiled and ready to strike at the drop of a hat. Like two dancers centerstage, their movements exude fluidity and grace, and if it weren’t for the vicious grip that the green-eyed monster has on her heart she’d even say their spar is genuine poetry in motion.

Tommy fires first with lightning quick jabs, but Trini ducks and weaves with ease. Kimberly knows her favored tactic is to tire her opponent out; Trini used to do it to _her_ all the time.

This exchange stretches on for minutes on end with nobody landing a hit, but Trini’s eyes flicker to Kimberly’s for a fraction of a second and that’s all it takes for Tommy’s fist to clip her cheek. It’s not a solid blow, but it’s enough for Trini to lose focus and Tommy tackles her to the ground.

She gets pulled into a makeshift sleeve choke and Tommy presses her full weight into Trini. Their faces are impossibly close and Kimberly swears that she sees them kiss, but she also knows she can’t trust her own eyes when her vision is so clouded with jealousy, so she tears her gaze away and bites down on her broken straw once more.

The two of them return to the table with content grins on their faces and Kimberly’s grip on her empty cup tightens.

“Looks like green triumphs over yellow,” says Tommy as she claps Trini on the shoulder. She turns to Kimberly and nods towards the sparring floor with an enthusiastic fire in her eyes. “You should go up against Trini next. She’s an absolute--”

“I don’t feel well,” Kimberly sputters out, “I’m going to head back. You guys can uh… keep enjoying yourselves.”

“Wait, Kimberly--” Trini reaches her hand out with concern but Kimberly’s already out of her chair and halfway out the door.

Tears sting in her eyes as she dashes down the street. She doesn’t even have a particular destination in mind, but she keeps running because anywhere is better than the Youth Center.

Strangers blur by like a smeared painting and she ignores their pointed stares and curious, silent judgment.

Kimberly wants to tear these feelings out of her chest. She wants to go back to how she felt before, or rather, how much she _didn’t_ feel before. To a time when she simply saw Trini as just a friend, before she became painfully aware of how her heart did somersaults in her chest or how breathing became a taxing chore when Trini was close.

Before she saw Trini as the most beautiful person in the world.

Because even with all her flaws and all her faults, everything about Trini comes together to form a magnificent artwork composed of fractured pieces with jagged edges that still fit together in harmony. She’s rough and imperfect, but she’s got character and an honest-to-goodness heart filled with tenacious kindness.

Kimberly knows she messed up. She knows she should have told Trini earlier, but Tommy is in the picture now and that ship has sailed.

It was her own arrogance that deceived her into believing that Trini would be around forever, as if Kimberly had all the time in the world to figure out her own emotions and that Trini would simply be waiting for her at the end of the day. It never even crossed her mind that another girl could come by and seize Trini’s attention - but a girl _did_ and Kimberly did absolutely nothing about it.

Kimberly can’t shake the toxic thoughts from her mind and somehow finds herself at the Command Center and figures what the hell, she might as well punch some shit to death. If she’s going to blow off some steam, getting a little training in wouldn’t hurt. She drops down into the Pit, activates the training putties, and just goes to town on them.

One after another, they rise from the ground like ugly life-sized Leggos but she demolishes them like it’s nothing. She remembers how difficult they used to be when they had first started as Rangers, but now they’re mere child’s play. She remembers being back to back with Trini - tired, aching, and surrounded - but with excitement coursing through her body because she never felt so alive before.

But the memories only produce a cocktail of regret and disappointment, causing anger to stir in her chest.

She doesn’t even flinch when one of the training putties gets a couple of strong right hooks in. She slams against a rock formation and can already feel the welt forming on her cheek, but she springs back up to deliver a roundhouse kick to the putty’s torso and it explodes in a burst of debris.

This goes on and on and she doesn’t even recognize her own voice when she’s screaming with frustration until Jason and the other boys come storming into the Pit with battle-ready faces only to find nothing but piles of dust and tears streaming down her face.

Jason rushes over and grabs her shoulders, his bright blue eyes examining her body for any noticeable wounds. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

Kimberly just violently shakes her head in silence as the tears continue falling freely, unable to form words or emit anything other than choked sobs.

“Did somebody hurt you?” Jason asks urgently.

“Is it Rita?” Zack asks in a frenzy. “Did she crash the Command Center? She used to be a Ranger so she knows this place exists.”

Billy looks around wildly but frowns in confusion. “The room doesn’t look breached though, I don’t believe we are under attack.”

“Well look harder,” says Zack frantically, “for all we know there could be--”

“ _I’m in love with Trini!”_

The words blurt out loud and brash, effectively silencing everyone in the room; nobody knows how to react because it was definitely not the words they were expecting to hear.

“I’m in love with Trini…” She repeats it again but softer and more in control but the tears keep rolling down her face.

Jason sighs before pulling her into a close hug and she feels the warmth from his body trying to shield her from cruel, intangible forces. She appreciates the gesture and though it does little to quell the powerful sorrow radiating deep within, she feels somewhat safer in his arms enough to elaborate on her inner turmoil.

“I’m in love with Trini and I don’t know what to do.” Kimberly knows she’s ruining Jason’s shirt with her endless flow of tears, but it’s like a broken dam with no one around to fix it. “I don’t know what to do because I don’t think she likes me back.”

“What?!” Zack’s outburst startles everyone and he clears his throat awkwardly. “I mean, dude, no offense but are you dumb? Have you _seen_ the way that girl looks at you?”

“Have you seen the way she looks at Tommy?” Kimberly interjects bitterly. “She’s definitely not into me, and even if she was at one point, she certainly isn’t now - not with Tommy around.”

“Tommy is her bro just like me.” Zack paces closer towards her and rubs his temples with exasperation. “We’re both bros with Trini. We’re pretty much the three amigos. The bromigos. The--”

“Okay I get it,” Kimberly groans but a smile creeps on her face nonetheless because Zack just has that uplifting effect on her thanks to his forthright attitude. “Just please don’t ever say bromigos again.”

“But do you get what I’m saying? Trini doesn’t like Tommy,” His hands wave animatedly as he looks her in the eyes. “She likes _you_.”

Kimberly turns to face him and she dares against all odds to rekindle the spark of hope that lay buried beneath the weight of her crushing grief and insecurity. “How can you be so sure?”

“I’m not.” Zack steals her away from Jason’s grasp and gives her a reassuring bear hug of his own. Kimberly’s overwhelmed by their unequivocal support and she thanks the powers that may be for having them in her life.

Zack rustles her hair and sniggers like a kid as he utters quietly, “But my bromigo senses are tingling.”

It garners him a punch on the shoulder, but he knows it was totally worth it because Kimberly’s laughing again and there’s hints of life returning to her eyes.

Billy claps his hands and rubs them together before throwing his arms around the two of them like he’s got a secret to tell.

“Okay now, I got a plan. A real good plan in my personal opinion. I call it Operation Get Kimberly and Trini Together So They Can Be Happy and it goes like--”

“Dude,” Zack interrupts as he holds out his hand like a stop sign, “that’s like, the worst name I’ve ever heard.”

Billy shrugs, completely unfazed. “I never said it was a good name; I said it was a good plan. Now will you let me explain it?”

Kimberly snorts unceremoniously as Billy expands upon his genius proposition. They all listen intently except for Jason, who nobody seems to notice has a furrowed crease in his brow.

There’s no doubt in his mind that Kimberly and Trini are meant for each other but he only knows this because Trini had coincidentally come to him earlier that day expressing the same doubts and misgivings. However she also threatened to “chop his nuts off and feed them to the fishes” if he were to open his mouth.

So he hums quietly to himself and lets the events unfold on their own.

 

* * *

 

 

Dust kicks up around her feet as Kimberly paces in circles at the clifftop overlooking the chasm to the Command Center. She cracks her knuckles absentmindedly while waiting for Trini to show up.

Billy’s plan is relatively simple and straightforward.

Part one: Jason calls for a “training session” and only tells Trini to meet at the cliff beforehand.

Part two: Kimberly waits for her there and then lays her heart on the line.

Not the most complex strategy, but one that is to the point and should get the job done assuming all goes accordingly. However, Billy failed to mention the hidden section between part one and two, which is to try her best to suppress her hysterical panic and second thoughts.

Kimberly chews on her lip as her eyes scan the horizon.

It’s not too late.

Trini’s not here. She could just… walk away. Pretend none of this is real. Just shove her emotions down so deep until she forgets that they exist. She can just laugh it off and complain about how tardy the team has become lately.

There’s an endless list of possibilities in which she can dodge the situation, but when Trini’s figure appears in the distance Kimberly knows there’s no turning back. The yellow dot on the horizon approaches quickly and within a minute or so, she’s closed the gap and slows to a leisurely stroll.

They hadn’t spoken since Kimberly ran off earlier that afternoon from the Youth Center and they fall into an odd silence.

Stopping a few feet in front of her, Trini acknowledges her with a tiny bob of her head. “Hey.”

“Hey to you too,” responds Kimberly in an equally stoic tone.

Trini kicks a small rock off the cliff and watches it hurtle over the edge before flicking her eyes up at Kimberly hesitantly. “So… you kind of left us hanging at the Center earlier today.”

“Yeah, I know. Sorry about that.”

“...Is everything alright?”

Averting her gaze, Kimberly stares at a nearby dried up bush, her brow twitching with uncertainty. “I uh, yeah. Well, no actually - not entirely.”

“What?”

“Look,” Kimberly rubs her forehead and frowns. “It’s just, it’s complicated right now. I kind of wanted to talk to you about something that’s been bothering me for the past few weeks and I don’t really know how to address it.”

“What is it? If something’s bothering you, just tell me so I can help. You know I’ll always be here for you.”

“No, it’s not that simple--”

“How so?” Trini’s voice raises up a notch and a layer of restlessness weaves into her words. “I’m your best friend; you can tell me anything. I’m not going to judge or think any less of you.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about though--”

“Then why can’t you tell me?”

Kimberly’s knuckles pale as her fingernails dig into the palms of her hands from how hard her fists clench at her sides. This was absolutely not how she imagined the exchange to go down because it feels like she’s teetering on a tightrope, but in all honesty, what exactly _was_ she expecting?

Well, certainly not Trini vehemently pressing her for an explanation.

“I _am_ trying to tell you!” Kimberly replies back heatedly. “You’re just not listening!”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m hearing you loud and clear, but you’re the one who just can’t seem to spit it out--”

“--because you’re acting like an impatient child!”

“Child? I’m just trying to help you!”

_“But you’re part of the problem!”_

Trini flinches at Kimberly’s piercing declaration that was shouted so loud it practically echoed throughout the entire quarry.

“This isn’t exactly the easiest thing to… to get off my chest,” Kimberly growls harshly as she flings her arms up angrily. “It’s just-- I wanted to-- _ugh,_ damnit Trini, why are you making this so difficult?!”

“Me? _I’m_ making this difficult?”

Whatever hurt or surprise that might’ve ran through Trini’s body before rapidly turns to indignation at the accusation. “Look, if you just learned to communicate a little bit better then maybe we wouldn’t be having this problem!”

Kimberly’s eyes sting with an all-too-familiar feeling, but she doesn’t want to let Trini see her break down, so she turns her back and starts walking the other direction.

She yells over her shoulder with as much strength as she can muster, “Fine. Nevermind then. I’m going home.”

With each stomping stride, more and more guilt washes over Kimberly’s body because she knows she reacted rather poorly to Trini’s over enthusiastic desire to help her, but she wanted to tell Trini on her own terms. Hell, she had an entire speech lined up in her mind, complete with different details and memories to help her convey how much Trini means to her, but the interruptions and forceful attempts to pry the words out of her just had an intensely adverse effect.

A part of her hopes that Trini calls out for her to come back just so Kimberly has an excuse to apologize for her behavior and to properly explain the whole reason behind why they had met at the cliff. She hopes to hear Trini’s voice because she’s too stubborn to turn around first.

But she hears nothing except the sounds of cawing birds and her own breaking heart, so she starts sprinting and heads for home.

A good night’s rest should be enough to clear her mind. She’s too angry right now, too emotional - she’s not thinking properly and she doesn’t want to do something stupid.

Well, something more stupid than yelling at Trini.

When Kimberly returns home, she kicks off her shoes and heads straight up the stairs, ignoring the enticing aroma of dinner wafting through the rooms. Flopping backwards onto her bed, she stares blankly at the ceiling, unable to properly digest what had just happened.

Everything escalated so damn fast. Billy’s plan that should have been easily executable derailed into a living nightmare and now she doesn’t know where she stands with her best friend.

Maybe Trini is right. Maybe she is just shitty at communicating. But… if that were the case then why wasn’t Trini more patient with her? She called her out on her communication skills, but then she kept pressing the issue so scrutinously. It just seemed so uncharacteristic - almost desperate.

Kimberly’s eyes flicker subconsciously to the cork board hanging on her wall with photos pinned up in a giant collage. For the first time ever, she takes note of each photo’s composition and though a majority of them are candid shots of the entire gang, Trini serves as the focal point for nearly all of them.

She’s had it bad for much longer than she thought.

“How am I going to deal with this?”

It’s a question with no proper answer and she feels deflated with defeat. She had stormed off without an explanation, but it didn’t occur to her until now that they still have to see each other on a daily basis.

She squeezes her eyes shut, hoping that sleep will take her before she becomes a prisoner of her own mind, but the memories of Trini are fast and far too overbearing so by the time she actually falls asleep, her pillow is soaked through with tears.

 

* * *

 

 

The days following their argument at the quarry are uneasy and stifled with a cloud of suffocating tension.

The entire team feels it, especially after having been in on the plan to get the two girls together, but seeing as how both of them refuse to so much as look at each other, they know how the encounter went down.

All the Rangers attempt to help in their own way to get the girls to talk to each other but to no avail.  

Jason tries new exercises during training and has the team pair off. He puts them together immediately but they know what he’s up to and their bullheadedness creates a match-up fraught with uncomfortable silence. They train successfully without saying a word, and whether that’s a testament to their intense, implicit connection or their refusal to play along with Jason’s schemes, they nonetheless maintain the frigid situation.

Billy explains that he needs help with a new gadget he’s been tinkering with, but when Kimberly and Trini are the only ones who show up at his garage, Trini suddenly remembers that she has “family stuff” to do and goes back home.

Zack’s attempts are probably the worst in that Trini doesn’t even respond to his texts. She knows him too well and can spot every attempt at coercing her and Kimberly into the same room together a mile away.

During class, Tommy tries her best to mitigate the situation by cracking jokes or asking for their collective help on a difficult math problem. She wants to yell at them to stop being so hardheaded because she can see the struggle in their eyes, as if they want to talk but something’s holding them back. She speculates that it’s their stubborn pride that’s the driving force behind their reluctance to be the first to apologize.

Either way they’re being stupid and she wants to slap them both back to reality, but luckily she restrains herself.

Instead, on the fourth day of silence Tommy grabs Kimberly by the arm at school and looks her seriously in the eyes.

“Meet me at the Youth Center after school.”

Kimberly doesn’t know whether to ignore her request or not, but she remembers that they’re all on the same side so there’s no reason to doubt the sincerity behind the demand.

So when the school bell rings at the end of the day, Kimberly drags herself down to the Youth Center where miraculously Tommy already has a table and two drinks waiting. She hands over the strawberry banana smoothie and Kimberly takes a seat next to her.

They stare quietly at the strangers sparring on the main training floor and sip their drinks.

“You know why I wanted you to meet with me, right?”

Tommy’s voice cuts through the ambient voices around them and Kimberly sets her drink down. She watches the condensation dribble down the sides of her cup, resolute in keeping up her taciturn ways, so Tommy pushes onward.

“Look, I don’t know if we got off on the wrong foot or if I did something to offend you but I can tell you don’t really care for me all that much. And it sucks, you know, because I really like it when people like me back.”

She smirks at Kimberly like the first day they met, except when Kimberly looks back at her - _really_ looks at her - she no longer sees the cocky bravado that she had originally witnessed back then. There’s more camaraderie behind her features and candid concern in her expression that causes Kimberly’s demeanor to soften.

Tommy takes a quick gulp of her drink before clearing her throat.

“I know how close you are to Trini, it’s really not that hard to see, so these past few days have been fucking bizarre.” She heaves a heavy sigh and locks her hazel gaze on Kimberly as she expands on her thoughts. “I don’t know what happened between you guys, but she’s stopped talking to literally everyone on the team - even Zack of all people and they’re like two peas in a pod.”

Tommy pauses, her expression shifting curiously.

“And... I don’t really want to assume too much, but this ain’t my first rodeo. I'm sorry for the way that I've come off to you, but whatever you _think_ is going on between Trini and I is completely wrong.”

Tommy grabs her drink and stands up from the table, her cup nearly empty as she departs. She casts an encouraging look at Kimberly who’s too stunned to even formulate a response.

“So get your head out of your ass before it’s too late.”

She exits the Youth Center leaving Kimberly alone to parse out her jumbled thoughts.

Part of her is ecstatic at the confirmation that puts to rest her fears of Trini and Tommy being together. The claws that the green-eyed monster once had embedded in her heart gradually begin to withdraw and Kimberly feels like she can breathe again.

With the pain of jealousy no longer clouding her judgment, Kimberly sees clearly how irrational she’s been behaving.

She knows exactly what she needs to do.

But just as she whips out her phone, fully ready to text Trini to meet up so she can properly apologize, the screen lights up with Jason’s face instead.

She presses the call button and impatiently breathes into the phone, “Hey Jason, what’s up?”

His voice is stern and commanding amidst the loud ruckus in the background. “Come to the park, _now._ We’re under attack.”

“Got it. Be there in a sec.” Kimberly leaps out of her chair and shoves her phone in her pocket.

Looks like the talk will just have to wait.

She tosses out her half-empty smoothie and runs full speed towards the park, which is situated near the heart of Angel Grove City. She hopes that there aren’t too many families out and about, but seeing as how the park has a large open expanse of beautiful grass and shady trees perfect for lounging underneath, it’s the perfect place to spend quality time with relatives and friends alike.

Could it be Rita? She did vow to return someday and exact her revenge, but she no longer has the green power coin so unless she found a new source of energy it doesn’t seem likely.

There’s no way it could be Goldar either. Rita was the one who spawned him in the first place so him coming back on his own would be even less plausible.

As Kimberly rounds another block, she hears a cacophony of screams and explosions growing louder by the second. More and more people are fleeing past her as she runs towards the source of the chaos and when the park rears into view she sees bolts of electricity shooting haphazardly into crowds of people.

She doesn’t see an army of putties, or any traces of Rita, so she can’t figure out who is attacking.

“Kimberly, over here!”

Her head whips to the right and she spots the team gathered at a corner of an intersection, their expressions grim. She darts over to them instantly and she uses the brief pause to catch her breath as Jason explains the plan.

“It looks like it’s just one person. We go in hard and surround him and he should be taken care of quickly. He seems to have electric powers though, so be cautious and stay on your toes. Ready?”

They nod in unison, and when Kimberly locks eyes with Trini, they know that now’s not the time for disputes because Angel Grove and its citizens come first above all.

Jason turns around and leads the charge. “It’s morphin’ time!”

There’s masses of civilians scattering like confused ants and they use the chaos as cover to activate their power coins while they rush towards the park. Too preoccupied with their own safety, not a single person bats an eye when the Rangers’ metallic armor spreads over their skin and solidifies into their signature colors.

As they near the source of the electricity, Kimberly’s face twists into a look of disgust at the enemy’s appearance.

Trini’s voice rings in their ears through the shared communication in their helmets. “That’s one fugly dude. Can we call him inside-out man?”

It’s a very apropos name, given that his entire body resembles a human however there’s not a single trace of skin covering the flexing, beet red muscles. Silver armor plates portions of his physique, but he is otherwise entirely exposed, even up to his pulsating brain sitting unprotected atop his head.

A silver mask adorned with a “Z” that shields his face matches the Z-shaped metallic staff in his hand, which they notice is the origin of the electric bolts.

He flexes his arms above his head and cackles maniacally. “Feeble humans! Tremble before Lord Zedd!”

“Not on our watch!” Jason shouts as he does a dramatic flip, landing several feet in front of the terrifying opponent.

His signature power sword materializes in his grasp and strikes a defensive pose as the enemy points at him angrily. “Power Rangers? I should have known you’d still be lurking on this planet like the scum that you are.”

“You knew we were here?” Jason is taken aback but he keeps his stance solid.

“Foolish Rangers! I’ve lived for over a millennia in this galaxy far before you even existed and have slain generations of Rangers that’ve come before you. I will obliterate your city and enslave the human race!”

“Clearly you weren’t successful if you’re trying again,” Jason retorts with taunting confidence, “and if you’ve been stopped you before then we can stop you now.”

“Such arrogance! Feel my wrath!”

Lord Zedd swings his arm around, pointing the gleaming metallic staff in Jason’s direction and lightning jolts out in a brilliant flash. Jason rolls to the side just in the nick of time, leaving the grass a scorched patch of earth and fire where he previously stood, and then seizes the opportunity to lunge forward with his sword at the ready.

Metal clashes with metal, sparks raining down in an explosive flurry as their weapons collide with each attack and riposte.

For being as large as he is, Lord Zedd’s nimble mobility surprises the team, and though Jason matches each of his blows with impressive strength, they can tell that Lord Zedd has the upper hand.

With a hearty battlecry, Zack joins the fray, jumping in from the right with a swift kick of his leg, but Lord Zedd absorbs the brunt of the kick with his arm and redirects the Black Ranger to go flying past him.

Billy comes swinging in next with a right hook that coordinates with Jason’s broad swing of his power sword in a type of pincer attack, but Zedd answers Jason’s blade with his own weapon before delivering a powerful kick to Billy’s chest, sending him flying backwards.

Jason backflips to get out of the way as the three girls come launching in simultaneously from different directions aiming to catch their enemy off guard. With a mighty sweep of his staff, Lord Zedd swings around and knocks all three girls into the ground, their bodies digging into the dirt as they skid to a halt.

“Shit, does this dude have eyes on the back of his head or something?” Tommy grumbles while shaking her head to rid herself of the dizzying sensation caused by the blow.

Lord Zedd lets out another laugh as if he’s just toying with them. “Insolent Rangers, I told you I cannot be stopped. The more you continue to keep up this tiresome act, I will make sure you regret-- _AGH”_

Interrupting his mini-tirade, Zack sweeps his leg in a powerful low kick and knocks Lord Zedd onto his back. Just as he winds his leg up to stomp down for a heel drop kick to the chest, Zedd blasts him with a bolt of lightning and launches his body into a nearby tree.

The trunk fractures into a spiderweb of splinters as his body hits the wood hard and he slumps to the ground.

“Zack!” Trini leaps to her feet and growls as she lunges at Zedd, but he grabs her by the neck with one hand and lifts her off the ground.

Her hands paw frantically at the death grip enclosed around her neck, and while the suit provides some protection from harm’s way, she can feel her throat constricting tighter and tighter as Zedd laughs in her face.

“Time to add another Yellow Ranger to my collection.”

His body crackles to life as electricity jumps down his arm and courses through Trini’s body who in turn screams in pain. No amount of armor can full protect her from the jarring sensation, like thousands of massive needles being jammed into her at sporadic moments. Her hands try to pry his fingers open as her legs kick helplessly, but it doesn’t stop her from dangling in his clutches like a ragdoll.

Her cries rip through the comlinks in their helmets for all the Rangers to hear and coupled with the choking hold that he has on her neck, she struggles to maintain consciousness.

And just like that, Kimberly _snaps._

Her screams mix with Trini’s as she barrels towards Lord Zedd fueled by rage and unbridled fury. She can hear the faint warning as Tommy yells at her to stop and Kimberly knows she’s being hasty, but she’s blinded by her tunnel vision with only one goal in mind: help Trini.

So against her better judgment, Kimberly goes for a direct attack and straight up punches Lord Zedd in the face. Electricity runs up her arm after contacting with his metallic mask and she grimaces as her muscles spasm and contract sharply, but it’s enough of a blow to gain his attention.

His head whips in her direction and he hurls Trini’s body to the side. Though Kimberly can see her twist and contort from the agonizing aftershocks of Lord Zedd’s grasp, a brief feeling of relief washes through her mind just knowing that Trini’s okay.

But then Kimberly feels an odd pinch in her chest and she hears Tommy scream.

Then Billy.

Then _everyone._

Why--?

She looks down and wonders why there’s silver sticking out of her armor right beneath her ribcage near her obliques.

Then she realizes that it’s the end of Lord Zedd’s staff piercing through her body.

At this point she can’t tell if it’s the adrenaline kicking in or the Ranger suit trying its best, or perhaps even the sheer shock that her brain can’t even process the fact that she’s just been fucking stabbed for the first time in her life, but Kimberly doesn’t feel anything immediately.

She just looks at it dumbfoundedly almost like it’s not even her own body.

What did she think was going to happen charging in there alone? She’s not even the strongest hand-to-hand combatant among the team. What a stupid move. So brash, hot-headed, completely illogical, but none of that mattered in the moment, right?

Because at least Trini is safe.

Time seems to catch up with her mind and the pain hits her all at once like a torrential flood and everything _hurts._ Pressure builds and builds the more she stares at the metal staff sticking out of her chest and it transcends beyond anything she’s ever felt in her entire life.

She tries to cry for help, but no noise comes out.

Her mouth opens and only garbled coughs tumble from her throat. Her vision blurs at the edges and she wonders if this is the end.

She never had the chance to apologize to Trini. She let the whole team down. She’s just another notch on Lord Zedd’s belt of Rangers whose lives he’s claimed.

 _I’m sorry_ , is what she wants to say, but the words never leave her mouth and she hopes that the others can hear her thoughts.

She hears Trini screaming her name before the world fades to black.

 

* * *

 

 

Kimberly’s never been a particularly religious person. Her family used to go to church every Sunday, but as she grew up it became less and less of a necessity and more of a formality. She had hoped though that her past transgressions wouldn’t bar her from entering through the pearly gates.

So maybe this is her punishment for not being more diligent in her faith, because heaven seems more cold than she imagined.

And very grey?

Kimberly blinks sluggishly as she comes to. There’s no clouds, no endless cerulean skies, no final judgment. In fact, it looks an awful lot like the Command Center.

“What in the world…?” She mumbles to herself as she regains her bearings.

The last thing she remembers is being impaled by Lord Zedd but now she’s resting in the Command Center, and unless heaven is supposed to resemble worldly locations she’s going to be a little bit upset. She expected to see warm, inviting lights, maybe some angels floating around.

Blinking hard and rolling her neck, Kimberly hears a small groan and only then does she notice Trini sitting on a chair at her bedside with her head resting on her arms next to Kimberly’s lap.

Okay, so maybe heaven isn’t all that bad.

“...Trini?”

Kimberly’s voice comes out coarse and guttural, but it rouses Trini from her sleep and the small girl opens her tired eyes lethargically. They’re red and puffy with dark circles underneath and she looks like absolute hell, but the moment she sees that Kimberly’s awake they snap wide open in shock.

“Am I dead?”

Trini blinks at Kimberly’s silly question, her eyebrows contorting up like she’s about to cry, but instead she just emits a weird noise mixed between a snort and a laugh. Tears well up in the corners of her eyes and she smiles broadly before diving in for a tight hug.

There’s a throbbing pain in Kimberly’s chest thanks to the critical wound she sustained, but she’s able to ignore it thanks to the overwhelming sense of comfort and tenderness enveloping her senses from being held in Trini’s embrace.

“Don’t you ever scare me like that again you dummy,” Trini whispers softly, “I thought I almost lost you forever.”

Kimberly wraps her arms around the smaller girl and squeezes her tight. “You can never lose me.”

They stay wrapped up in each other’s arms, savoring the moment as if it might be their last, but they know the worst has already come to pass so there’s no urgency or sense of foreboding. It’s a hug filled with safety, warmth, and endearment - one that aptly conveys Trini’s emotions and Kimberly finally thinks she’s ready. But first, she needs to know.

“So what happened?” Kimberly asks. She hates to break the moment, but her curiosity got the better of her.

Trini pulls back and her eyes light up excitedly. “Honestly it was such a blur, but after you went down all of us just… broke. I- I’m not sure how else to put it, but something in us exploded because the rest of us summoned our own unique weapons. My unique weapons are a pair of daggers.”

Kimberly snorts humorously. “You would get something small.”

“Har har, like I didn’t see that one coming,” Trini says sarcastically. “Anyways, Zordon thinks our emotional devastation helped push us past our threshold and after gearing up we were able to push Zedd to retreat.”

“He’s not trapped or dead?” Kimberly asks skeptically.

“No, he was too strong to kill so he could come back any day,” Trini explains, “but at least we got him to leave. Plus we were a little preoccupied with getting you back here to make sure you… you weren’t... y-you know.”

Trini’s glassy eyes and furrowed brow betray the hours upon hours spent crying at Kimberly’s side as she lay unconscious, not knowing whether or not she’d ever wake up again.

“Hey, hey now.” Kimberly reaches her hand out and gently cups Trini’s cheek with her hand and she smiles wearily. “I’m not dead. You guys saved my ass, and for that i’m forever grateful.”

“I’m so sorry,” Trini blurts out, her voice trembling and melancholic, “I’m sorry for everything. For how I acted, for how I treated you, I just-- I’m so sorry.”

Frowning with confusion Kimberly shakes her head. “No, don’t apologize; you didn’t do anything wrong. I was the one who was behaving weird, this is all on me.”

“But _I_ should be the one apologizing, really. You were just trying to tell me something personal and I kind of just… bulldozed over you and didn’t let you talk.”

Kimberly’s gaze falters.

Should she say something?

She knows how she feels. Without a shadow of a doubt, some of her last parting thoughts when she thought she was dying involved Trini so she’s sure of her affections for her. No more taking her for granted. No more fear. No more apprehension.

Besides, what’s the worst that could happen? She just says she doesn’t reciprocate and they go on with the rest of their daily lives?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“Trini... I like you,” Kimberly says as she looks the other girl in the eyes.

Trini scoffs awkwardly. “No shit genius. We’ve been through so much together it would be w-weird if you didn’t. What kind of Power Rangers don’t like each other? I mean, our teamwork would be so whack and--”

 _To hell with it_.

She’s done with words. All she ever does is talk, and talking doesn’t do her feelings justice, so Kimberly reaches out and pulls Trini in close, capturing her lips in a chaste, tender kiss. For a quick second, she fears that she might’ve crossed a personal boundary, but when Trini recovers from the shock and reciprocates in full, Kimberly’s fears swiftly assuage.

Trini leans in closer to deepen the kiss, their lips crushing together in a heated exchange and rapidly escalate the restrained kiss into something charged with pent up emotions as Kimberly’s hands run through Trini’s hair and roams over her back.

Now this _must_ be heaven because there’s no way that Trini’s lips are actually softer than she ever imagined nor were the tiny whimpers escaping Trini’s mouth in between breaths so fucking adorable.

Just feeling Trini leaning closer and closer until their bodies press together is silent validation that Trini’s not afraid of taking that next step beyond the line of friendship. She doesn’t know how long Trini’s felt the same way towards her, but the way her tongue slips inside of her mouth makes her stop questioning things and enjoy the moment.

Kimberly wants time to stop so she can relish the taste of Trini’s lips and trace every curve of her body with her hand, but when Kimberly twists her torso ever so slightly a sharp pain shoots through her body and she hisses in response.

Trini pulls back abruptly with concern in her eyes. “Are you okay?”

Even though Kimberly’s whole body aches with weary pain and fatigue threatens to force her back into a deep slumber, she knows that there’s nowhere else she’d rather be than with Trini by her side.

There’s love in her heart and when she gazes into Trini’s eyes, it becomes so blatantly clear that it’s reflected there too. Kimberly sighs contently and smiles.

“Never been better.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Come shout with me on Tumblr about all your Trimberly feels! [Taikoturtle](http://taikoturtle.tumblr.com/)


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